Can Dancers Bounce Back from Hip Surgery?

Dance Magazine—August 15, 2017

In an article by Dance Magazine, chief of the adult reconstruction and joint replacement service at HSS, Douglas E. Padgett, MD, answered the following question submitted by a reader:

My orthopedist says I need hip arthroscopy to repair a torn labrum from doing an upside-down split in a contemporary piece. He says I'll most likely be able to dance again, but I'm worried. My best friend had the same surgery and wasn't able to perform ballet afterwards. How risky is this operation? I'm only 28!

According to Dr. Padgett, someone’s age and contemporary focus can make returning to a professional career more likely. His research found that younger dancers, whose average age was 30, all returned to their careers after hip arthroscopy. In the study, those who were closer to 40 years old did not return. Dr. Padgett noted that styles such as musical theatre or modern dance do not require an extreme range of motion, and thus saw a higher rate of success.

Read the full article at dancemagazine.com. This article also appeared in the September 2017 print issue.